Squeeze bottle



Feb. 3, 1970 TSU HSUEN LEE 3,493,179

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5; fd j@ Qua/750W :MZ/wedge @L 'deba/M f gi United States Patent 3,493,179 SQUEEZE BOTTLE Tsu Hsuen Lee, Apt. 7B, 34 Lane 369, Tun Hwa South Road, Taipei, Taiwan Filed Jan. 12, 1968, Ser. No. 697,486 Int. Cl. B65d 1/32 U.S. Cl. 239-327 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Squeeze bottle adapted to eject liquid contents in the form of either a jet or spray, and adapted to function in an upward, inclined or inverted position.

The present invention relates to a squeeze bottle for dispensing liquid contents and comprises a flexible resilient plastic body portion for holding liquid to be dispensed, a cap portion in engagement therewith and a nozzle body formed with an opening in threaded engagement over the cap. The cap is formed with an angular aperture such as a square or triangular, and has secured within the contines thereof one end of a cylindrical dispensing tube extending to adjacent the base of the body portion whereby liquid is elevated therethrough when the body is squeezed and the nozzle is directed upwardly, and whereby liquid is bypassed around the tube and through the remaining angular defines about the tube in the cap so that liquid can be expelled through the nozzle when the unit is inverted or inclined so that the liquid does not properly reach the bottom of the tube.

The squeeze bottle is further constructed and arranged in a manner Vwhereby the liquid can be ejected either in the form of a spray or in the form of a jet as desired by a simple manipulation of the nozzle, as will be hereinafter explained.

The squeeze bottle of the present invention is particularly adapted for use with such materials as insecticides where it is desired to either disseminate the insecticides in the form of a spray or where it is desired to eject it into cracks or crevices in the form of a jet. The device of the present invention may of course also be used for the dispensing of odorants and deodorants, condiments or various liquid food products.

The further objects of the invention, its details of construction, arrangement of parts and the economies thereof will be apparent from a consideration of the following specication and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the squeeze bottle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of the section shown in FIG. l with the assembly arranged for dissemination of the liquid contents in the form of a spray.

FIG. 3 is a section similar to that of FIG. 2 but shows the nozzle portion spaced upwardly or away from the cap portion so that the liquid contents will be expelled in the form of a jet.

FIG. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of FIG.. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral indicates a body portion of the squeeze bottle which is of ilexible resilient plastic material such as polyethylene or polypropylene and is formed with a screw top neck p0rtion 11 to which there is engaged a complementary cap portion 12. This cap portion has a tubular depending neck portion 13 of angular cross-sectional internal contour such as the substantially square contour shown at 16 in the detail of FIG. 5, although it may be of triangular or other angular shape. Secured within this angular neck 13 is a cylindrical tube 14 which extends to adjacent the bottom of the bottle 10 and is slightly spaced therefrom.

A tube 14 is secured as at 15 within the connes of the angular aperture 16 in the neck 13 by means of an adhesive such as an epoxy resin or other suitable adhesive.

The tube 14 and angular neck 13 permit liquid to be discharged from the bottle via the tube when the bottle is upright and is squeezed, and to be discharged via the open areas of the neck when the bottle is inverted and squeezed. Likewise, when the bottle is released, air may enter the bottle via that one of the two routes not then iilled with liquid. Thus, the bottle may be used in any position.

The cap 12 is further formed with an upwardly extending neck portion 17 having a threaded exterior 18 over which there is seated a complementary internally threaded nozzle portion 19 formed with an end wall having an axial nozzle aperture or orice 20. A cover 21 closes the nozzle and may be of plastic and is adapted for snap fit -by means of a complementary groove in the nozzle and sealing ring 22 in the cover.

The upwardly extending neck component 17 is formed with an axial groove 23 which partially seats a spool portion 24. The spool has a reduced intermediate portion 25 which is embraced on its opposed Sides by half disc members 27, 27 which limits reciprocal movement of the spool within the cavity 23. The opposed end 28 of the spool is formed with an opposed pair of tangential slots 29, 29 which terminate at their inner ends in the well or depression 30 in the upper spool portion 28. Just below the slots 29, 29 the spool portion 28 carries an annular flange 31. The cap 12 carries the threaded portion 32 above the stop member '27 which permits reciprocation of the upper spool portion 28, and is formed with an inverted funnel or diverting wall 33 which embraces the upper end of spool portion 28 and its ilange and tangentially slotted portions when the nozzle component 19 is completely seated down against the shoulder of cap 12 as shown in FIG. 2. With this arrangement when the squeeze bottle is compressed, liquid is caused to ascend the tube 1-4 or when inverted to bypass it and pass through the angular opening 16 and to move in the direction shown by the arrows in FIG. 2 and to pass around the spool portions 24, 25 and 28 and into the tangential slots 29, 29 Where a whirling or spinning motion is caused aided by the arcuate side cut-outs 34, 34 in the flange 31 and to cause the liquid to be ejected in the form of a spray through the nozzle opening 20 as indicated in FIG. 2.

When it is desired to cause the liquid contents 35 to be ejected from the body 10 in the form of a jet, one merely spaces the nozzle 19 from its seat on the cap 12 by partially unscrewing it. Squeezing action can cause the spool to be elevated so that the portion 24 abuts against the stops 27 and leaves the upper end of the spool portion 28 at its slotted portions to remain spaced from the upper end of the nozzle 19 and the aperture 20 so that in such case liquid is ejected in the form of a jet rather than a spray.

Although I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the details thereof without departing from its scope.-

I claim:

1. A squeeze bottle for dispensing liquid contents comprising a flexible resilient plastic body portion for holding liquid to be dispensed, a cap in engagement therewith and a nozzle on said cap, said cap being formed with an angular aperture and having secured in the contines thereof one end of a cylindrical dispensing tube extending to adjacent the base of the body portion whereby liquid is elevated therethrough when the body is squeezed and the nozzle is directed upwardly and whereby liquid is bypassed around said tube and through the remaining angular defines of said aperture when the body is squeezed and the nozzle is directed downwardly, and wherein the nozzle is shiftable axially of the cap and the cap is formed with an axial cylindrical cavity, a spool member reciprocably received in said cavity, a stop member for limiting reciprocal movement of said spool, tangential slots formed in the normally upper end of said spool and extending to an axial well formed threat whereby liquid is caused to spin and be dispensed through the nozzle orice in the form of a spray when the upper end of the spool is disposed closely adjacent said nozzle, and in the form of a jet when the spool is permitted to be spaced by axially outward spacing ofthe nozzle from the cap.

2. A squeeze bottle for dispensing liquid contents comprising a tlexible resilient plastic body portion for holding liquid to be dispensed, a cap in engagement with the body, a nozzle mounted on said cap for axial shifting movement and having a nozzle orice therein, a cavity in said cap adjacent said nozzle orice, a spool member reciprocably received in said cavity, a stop member for limiting reciprocal of said spool, tangential slots formed in the normally upper end of said spool and extending to an axial well formed threat whereby liquid is caused to spin and portion of the spool, below its tangentially slotted portion,

includes an annular flange and the upper end portion of said cap includes an upwardly diverging baille embracing said flange when the nozzle body is fully seated on said cap and the assembly is in spraying position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,571,921 10/1951 Morris 222--211 X 2,580,580 1/1952 Nicolle 222-211 X 2,981,444 3/1956 Root 222-193 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner H. S. LANE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

